Differentiate Poisonous and Non-Poisonous Snakes
India is home to approximately 270 species of snakes in India, which is 10 percent of the total snake species found in the world. Most of the snakes found in India are highly venomous but there are 30 species of non poisonous snakes also found in India.
Its very hard to tell for sure if a snake is venomous or a non poisonous, Actually snakes are not poisonous, but they venomous because they inject venom.
Poisonous Snakes
- All poisonous snakes are generally brightly coloured
- Venomous snakes have a very distinctive head, looks like hand or triangular and side portion is wide.
- Cobra group of snakes are Highly Venomous
- Venomous snakes has heat sensitive pit
- All sea snakes are Highly Poisonous
- Poisonous snakes Family- Elapidae,Colubridae and Viperidae
- Highly Venomous snakes in India– King Cobra, Indian Cobra, Russell’s Viper, Saw Scaled Viper, Malabar pit viper and Krait.
Non Poisonous Snakes
- Non Poisonous Snakes are not brightly coloured
- Non Poisonous Snake head is usually narrow and elongated
- Usually Nonvenomous snake do not have Fangs but few snakes do have Fangs
- Pythons are Non Venomous but equipped with rows of teeth
- Common non Poisonous Snakes in India– Rat snake,Banded kukri,Bronze back tree snake,Sand boa and Indian Python
Venomous Vs Poisonous
Venomous and poisonous creatures produce a toxin, which is lethal to animals or human. The major difference between Venomous and Poisonous is the delivery, Venomous creatures inject venom into animal body like Snake, Bees and Scorpion but poisonous animal can only deliver toxic when eaten, swallow or touched then lick.
Venomous: Snakes, Scorpion,Hornet, spiders,Honey bees and Fire Ants
Poisonous: Monarch butterflies, Dart Frog, Cone Snail and Stonefish
